Quiet quitting has been doing the rounds on media platforms, but what is it exactly, and how should businesses deal with it?

What is quiet quitting ? What does quiet quitting mean ?

What is the definition of quiet quitting ?

Quiet quitting (also called silent quitting) refers to an attitude in which an employee gradually “disengages” from his or her duties.
A quiet quitter has a minimal commitment, they are nonchalant, their efforts and desire to excel are absent, their emotional involvement is weak, they suffer from a clear drop in motivation and this is reflected in their performance.
In short, the employee decides to do the minimum required by their employment contract, without officially leaving their job.

The trend of “quiet quitting” reveals a malaise and must be one of the major concerns in the policy of optimizing employee commitment. This trend also raises questions about well-being at work and the quality of life of teams.

The origin of quiet quitting

Quiet quitting : 1 state of mind, different names

Quiet quitting already existed under different names:

• “Professional disengagement” : theorized by HR professionals, psychologists and labor economists for several decades.
• "Silent quitting" : A variation of quiet quitting, emphasizing an employee’s decision to emotionally check out of their job while still fulfilling basic responsibilities.
• "Soft quitting" : Used interchangeably with quiet quitting, indicating minimal effort at work.
• "Lying flat": Originating from the Chinese term "tang ping," this phrase describes a personal rejection of societal pressures to overwork and overachieve. ​
• "Grumpy staying": Refers to employees remaining in unsatisfying jobs due to a tight labor market, leading to reduced enthusiasm and productivity. ​
• "Bare minimum Mondays": A practice where employees do only the minimum required work on Mondays, similar in spirit to quiet quitting. ​
• "Resenteeism": Describes workers who stay in jobs they resent, often leading to minimal effort and engagement. ​
  
  

(Source : investopedia.com)

Why is Gen Z quiet quitting?

The concept and origin of quiet quitting was introduced on TikTok in 2022 by user Zaid Khan, who defined the phenomenon as the refusal to exceed the expectations of one's employment contract. It quickly gained momentum on social networks, particularly among the younger generations seeking a better work-life balance.

Gen Z is quiet quitting primarily because they reject the traditional hustle culture that prioritizes overworking without adequate compensation or recognition. Unlike previous generations, they prioritize work-life balance, mental health, and job satisfaction over blind loyalty to an employer. Many feel that excessive workloads, stagnant wages, and toxic workplace cultures don’t justify going above and beyond their job descriptions. Instead, they choose to set clear boundaries, fulfilling only the core responsibilities of their roles without overextending themselves.

Another key factor is the lack of career growth and purpose in many jobs. Gen Z seeks meaningful work, fair treatment, and opportunities for development, but they often encounter outdated management styles and rigid corporate structures that fail to meet their expectations. Additionally, with the rise of remote work and digital transparency, they have more visibility into better work environments and are less willing to tolerate poor conditions. If they feel undervalued or stuck, rather than quitting outright, they disengage, doing just enough to meet expectations while preserving their mental well-being.

Quiet Quitting Examples

• Doing Only the Bare Minimum – Completing required tasks but avoiding extra effort, volunteering, or taking on additional responsibilities.
• No Overtime or After-Hours Work – Refusing to answer emails, messages, or take on extra work outside scheduled hours, enforcing work-life balance.
• Lack of Initiative – Not proactively contributing ideas, problem-solving, or seeking ways to improve efficiency, simply following instructions.
• Disengaging from Company Culture – Skipping optional meetings, social events, or team-building activities, showing minimal interest in workplace engagement.
• Avoiding Leadership or Growth Opportunities – Declining promotions, extra training, or leadership roles to avoid additional stress or workload.
• Reduced Enthusiasm and Effort – Performing tasks without motivation, creativity, or emotional involvement, doing just enough to meet expectations.
• Minimal Communication with Team and Management – Only responding when necessary, avoiding unnecessary discussions or feedback participation.
• Strictly Following Job Description – Refusing to take on tasks outside the official role, even if it could benefit the team or organization.

In summary: Quiet quitting isn’t about refusing to work—it’s about setting boundaries and refusing to overextend oneself without fair compensation or recognition.

The statistics and trends of quiet quitting in 2024

Quiet quitting in the world

According to the latest studies, the phenomenon of quiet quitting continues to grow in 2024:

• In Europe: 72% of employees are considered “quiet quitters”, compared to 59% in the rest of the professional world (Gallup study “State of the Global Workplace 2024”)
• In companies: 77% of workers have observed quiet quitting practices in their organization, and 58% say they have been directly affected by this phenomenon (Monster study, March 2024).
• Impact on productivity: 34% of employees say they have to “guess their priorities at work”, while 64% lose between one and two productive hours a day due to a lack of clear objectives (Digital Work Trends Report 2024)
• Main causes: 25% of employees cite meetings as their most frustrating interruption, calling for a reduction in non-essential meetings by 2024 (Slingshot Report 2024)

In Italy, the quiet quitting phenomenon is even more pronounced, with 25% of workers “actively disengaged,” compared to a European average of 16% (Gallup's “State of the Global Workplace 2024” report).

Quiet quitting in the US

Quiet quitting has indeed become a significant trend in the United States. These statistics highlight a critical challenge for organizations aiming to boost employee engagement and productivity.​

• According to a Gallup report, at least 50% of the U.S. workforce falls into this category, indicating a substantial level of disengagement. This disengagement has broader economic implications, as Gallup estimates that such lack of engagement costs the global economy nearly $9 trillion annually.
• In the United States, a Gallup study mentions a proportion of committed and involved employees of only 32%, and an increase in quiet quitters to 18%.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this issue. Gallup's research highlights that the workplace environment has deteriorated for younger workers during the pandemic, potentially contributing to increased rates of quiet quitting among this demographic. Additionally, a survey involving over 120,000 participants revealed that 59% of respondents were not fully engaged with their jobs, underscoring the widespread nature of this phenomenon. ​

Why is “quiet quitting” gaining so much momentum today?

Quitting quietly is a new trend in the market that is gaining momentum today due to various societal and professional developments:

Quiet quitting is a growing trend due to a reassessment of post-COVID priorities, a rejection of overinvestment, excessive workload, lack of recognition and development, poor management of teleworking and the influence of social networks.

In short, it is a trend in response to working conditions considered unsatisfactory, reinforced by a profound transformation of employees' expectations of the professional world.

Quiet quitting: the last step before a real resignation?

Quiet quitting is often perceived as a silent resignation, where the employee (labelled as quiet quitter) ceases to invest more than the bare minimum required. Rather than an immediate departure, it is a phase of gradual disengagement, often caused by a lack of recognition, excessive workload or a lack of prospects for advancement. If these problems persist, quiet quitting can indeed be the last step before actual resignation, when the employee no longer sees any point in staying with the company.

Are quiet quitting and the rise in the number of burnouts related?

The answer is yes... although they represent different reactions to the same problems: stressful working conditions, a lack of recognition and an imbalance between work and personal life.

Burnout occurs when employees push themselves beyond their limits to the point of exhaustion, and quiet quitting is a preventive approach aimed at limiting one's commitment in order to protect oneself.

This vicious circle is detrimental to companies, as quiet quitting reduces productivity and increases the pressure on other employees, thus increasing the risk of burnout. Better management of employee well-being and expectations is essential to avoid these situations.

Who is the typical quiet quitter ? Does it affect more operational or management positions? Is Quiet Quitting a Gen Z thing ?

Quiet quitting does not have a single profile, but certain archetypes emerge depending on the professional context and the expectations of the employees. This phenomenon affects more operational positions, but it can also concern managers and executives.

Quitting quietly mainly affects positions that often suffer from a lack of development, recognition and an excessive workload. Middle managers can also be affected when they are under a lot of hierarchical pressure. On the other hand, the phenomenon is rare among senior managers, whose involvement is directly linked to the company's success.

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What are the main factors and causes that drive employees to "quiet quitting"?

The causes of quiet quitting

Some argue that quiet quitting is simply reflective of changing attitudes to work. There’s a perception that Millennial and Gen Z employees may be less committed to their jobs than earlier generations. Their primary focus is on striking a work-life balance. They believe ‘meaningful’ work is more important than salary or status.

On the other hand, many others think the problem is caused by thoughtless and unfair corporate practices and management standards. Another perspective is that we are simply giving a new name to a problem that has always persisted.

Regardless of the precise causes, we do know for sure that the quiet quitting problem is getting bigger.

The "big resignation" is mainly caused by a gradual disengagement of employees in the face of working conditions deemed unsatisfactory. There are many reasons why an employee may decide to do the minimum at work and slow down.

Key factors include lack of recognition, excessive workload, lack of career development prospects, work-life imbalance, and ineffective or toxic management. When these elements accumulate, employees are driven to limit their investment to the strict minimum required, in order to preserve their well-being and avoid burnout.

Lack of Recognition and Alignment

Lack of recognition at work is one of the main triggers of quiet quitting. When employees feel their efforts go unnoticed and unrewarded, they naturally lose motivation to fully invest themselves in their work. This disengagement is a natural response to an environment where extra effort doesn't seem to bring any benefits in return.

Recognition comes in multiple forms:

• Financial recognition (special compensations like bonuses, salary increases...)
• Moral and motivational recognition (verbal praise, written acknowledgment, recognition of performance and employee investment, highlighting successes and valuing efforts...)
• Professional development (promotions, internal mobility, additional responsibilities...)

Excessive Workload

Unfilled positions, understaffing, new roles with underestimated workloads, a culture of overwork... Many factors can lead to an excessive workload.

Excessive workload is one of the key drivers of quiet quitting. When employees consistently face an overwhelming number of tasks and unpaid overtime, it can trigger behavioral changes and low engagement. As a result, individuals choose to perform only the minimum required by their position. The consequences can be numerous and significant:

• Professional burnout: Extended overwork frequently leads to physical and mental exhaustion, affecting the employee's overall health. A recent study in the Medical Journal of Liège shows that work addiction and long hours are strongly linked to health issues ((« Workaholism : la dépendance au travail, une autre forme d’addiction », Revue médicale de Liège n°68,‎ 2013, p. 371-376).
• Decreased performance: Working beyond one's capacity can lead to reduced work quality and increased errors. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership emphasizes that quiet quitting can threaten employee productivity.
• Mental health impact: Work overload often correlates with high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. According to the University of New South Wales, quiet quitting is also a common response to burnout, where employees reduce their involvement to preserve their mental health.
• Work-life imbalance: Excessively long workdays encroach on personal time, affecting activities and relationships outside work. A survey reveals that 63% of managers work more than forty hours per week, which can harm their personal balance.

Lack of Growth and Prospects

Also known as "career stagnation." When employees see no possibilities for advancement in their company, they may gradually disengage and reduce their investment to the bare minimum.

• The connection between career growth and professional engagement: Career development is essential as it provides goals to achieve, contributes to skill improvement (hard and soft skills), and values experience. It also acknowledges efforts made.
• Multiple causes of stagnation: Lack of internal promotion (believing external recruitment is better than internal mobility...), absence of training and skill development, positions without growth prospects...
• Significant consequences: Less involvement, higher turnover, impact on company culture and reputation.

Toxic Management Practices (Micro-management, Excessive Surveillance...)

Quiet quitting is typically a response to low employee engagement with their company. This phenomenon often stems from management practices considered poor and demotivating.

These practices include micromanagement, excessive surveillance, infantilization, lack of trust, and constant pressure, which play key roles in employee demotivation.

• Micro-management refers to excessive control that stifles motivation. Managers excessively supervise their team members' actions, leaving little autonomy or room for initiative. This leads to increased discomfort, feelings of infantilization, and frustration.
• Excessive monitoring creates a climate of suspicion that destroys both self-confidence and trust in management. This includes excessive use of work time tracking tools, monitoring of emails and messages, breaks... All this generates constant pressure and endangers motivation and company stability.

Poor or Unclear Company Culture

Company culture encompasses the norms, values, and practices that shape the work environment within an organization. When it's unclear, toxic, or poorly defined, it creates a climate of uncertainty and disengagement, encouraging employees toward quiet quitting.

How to identify a poor company culture?

A dysfunctional company culture manifests through several aspects:

• Lack of clarity in values and expectations
• Toxic work environment
• Lack of communication and transparency
• Misalignment between words and actions
• Lack of inclusion and recognition
• ...

How does poor company culture lead to quiet quitting?

When some or all of these negative points come together, we observe a loss of motivation and disengagement, increased stress, talent exodus, and high turnover. Where ambition is encouraged without promotion possibilities, where well-being is promoted but work hours are excessive, where managers and directors are authoritarian, inaccessible, and inflexible... We can identify the link between poor company culture and quiet quitting.

Disregarded Work-Life Balance

The separation between employees' private and personal spheres is one of the foundational elements of employee well-being. When the boundary between the two becomes blurred, neglected, or disrespected, it leads to physical, mental, and moral consequences.

A good balance includes:

• Respected and adapted work hours
• Right to disconnect, allowing employees to maintain their work-life balance by limiting off-hours requests
• Flexibility to manage personal and professional obligations...

Today, this balance can be compromised by excesses such as too many meetings or presenteeism, excessive hours and unrealistic expectations, poorly managed remote work policies, and lack of flexibility.

Other Signs of Quiet Quitting

Additional factors contributing to quiet quitting include:

• Loss of purpose at work
• Lack of top-down communication
• COVID-19 pandemic: the health crisis has pushed many workers to reconsider their vision of work, particularly regarding this loss of purpose. It has also highlighted the desire for balance and finding work aligned with individual aspirations.

What Are the Consequences of Quiet Quitting?

For Employees

When team members limit themselves to doing just the bare minimum, they risk more than just career stagnation. Quiet quitting can lead to:

• Loss of motivation and purpose: Work becomes a mere obligation rather than an opportunity for growth and achievement
• Career impact: Reduced opportunities for advancement, recognition, and professional development
• Personal well-being: Potential bore-out from lack of challenges, leading to decreased job satisfaction and mental well-being
• Workplace isolation: Less involvement in team initiatives and collaborative projects can lead to feeling disconnected

Over time, this gradual disengagement often pushes talented individuals to seek more fulfilling environments where their contributions are better valued and recognized.

For Leadership Teams

The impact of quiet quitting extends beyond individual performance. Organizations face several challenges:

• Decreased productivity: When team members stop going the extra mile, overall output and innovation naturally decline
• Cultural ripple effects: Disengagement can spread, creating an environment where mediocrity becomes the norm
• Financial implications: Reduced efficiency and increased turnover lead to higher recruitment and training costs
• Employer brand impact: Poor employee engagement can damage the company's reputation, making it harder to attract and retain top talent

Aparté: Quiet firing, the other side of the employer-employee coin

Quiet firing, on the other hand, is an employer practice that indirectly and subliminally pushes an employee towards the exit. This can be seen in "marginalization" schemes (being sidelined, put in the closet), in the reduction of the employee's responsibilities, or in the creation of a toxic work environment, aimed at inducing resignation rather than dismissal.

Quiet quitting and quiet firing share common factors: they both point to a noxious corporate culture, bad and dubious managerial practices, but more conclusively to a crying lack of dialogue and recognition.Aparté: Quiet firing, the other side of the employer-employee coin Quiet firing, on the other hand, is an employer practice that indirectly and subliminally pushes an employee towards the exit.

This can be seen in "marginalization" schemes (being sidelined, put in the closet), in the reduction of the employee's responsibilities, or in the creation of a toxic work environment, aimed at inducing resignation rather than dismissal. Quiet quitting and quiet firing share common factors: they both point to a noxious corporate culture, bad and dubious managerial practices, but more conclusively to a crying lack of dialogue and recognition.

For the Global Economy

The broader economic impact of quiet quitting is significant and far-reaching:

• Innovation slowdown: Reduced employee engagement leads to fewer initiatives and slower project development
• Competitive disadvantage: Companies with disengaged workforces struggle to maintain market leadership
• Economic losses: According to Gallup, workplace disengagement costs the global economy $8.8 trillion annually in lost productivity—about 9% of global GDP
• Market impact: This trend can limit job creation, investment opportunities, and overall economic growth

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Which solutions can be effective to prevent silent quitting ?

Strengthen the feeling of connection

To combat quiet quitting, it is essential to strengthen employees' sense of commitment and belonging to their company. This is achieved through sincere exchanges, a strong corporate culture and shared values.

Encouraging teamwork, organizing internal events and recognizing employees' efforts allows them to feel involved and engaged, thus reducing their disengagement.

Support career development aspirations

A lack of career prospects is a major cause of quiet quitting. It is therefore crucial to offer opportunities for training, internal mobility and job advancement. By offering a clear career plan and achievable goals, employees see a future within the company and are more inclined to invest themselves. Support through mentoring or coaching can also strengthen their commitment and motivation.

Anticipating requests for assistance

Many employees disengage because they do not dare to ask for help when faced with an excessive workload or professional difficulties. To avoid this, managers must be proactive in identifying signs of fatigue or discouragement and proposing appropriate solutions (reduction of workload, coaching, psychological support). Caring and attentive management is key to preventing frustration and gradual disengagement.

Create spaces for discussion

Quiet quitting can also be the result of a lack of communication between employees and management. It is important to create open, non-judgmental forums for dialogue where everyone can express their expectations, difficulties and ideas. Regular meetings, internal surveys and individual interviews help to increase transparency and adapt working conditions to the real needs of employees.

Respecting the work-life balance

An imbalance between work and private life often pushes employees to disengage in order to preserve their well-being. To avoid this, companies must respect working hours, encourage the right to disconnect and offer flexible working arrangements (teleworking, flexible hours). An employee who feels respected in his or her personal time will be more motivated and more engaged in his or her work.

Promoting mental health

Constant pressure and stress at work are key factors in quiet quitting. Promoting mental health in the workplace involves creating a healthy and caring environment, stress management training, and access to psychological support services. By normalizing discussions about mental health and adopting attentive and humane management, companies can prevent disengagement and enhance the well-being of their employees.

Is there an awareness of the issue at the moment?

YES! Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the phenomenon and its implications. According to an article by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) France, some companies have responded by increasing control and surveillance, while others are seeking to restore meaning to work by setting their organization on a new trajectory, thus promoting a more balanced relationship between employer and employee.

Finally, the phenomenon of “conscious quitting” is also emerging, where employees leave their jobs due to ethical or moral disagreements with their employer. This trend is pushing companies to align their practices more closely with social and environmental values in order to retain their talent.

Solutions for employees

The solution starts with building a workplace where every team member feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute their best work.

We recently produced a white paper called Improving Employee Engagement to Drive Retention and Performance where we looked at the issue in detail. What we uncovered was a significant and pressing problem faced by businesses across the country. A recent Gallup Poll shows that quiet quitters make up at least 50% of the US workforce.

When Gallup uses the term, they are talking about the millions of people who "are not going above and beyond at work and are simply meeting the minimum requirements of their job description."

Doing a job well involves a level of commitment and extra effort. Quiet quitting - or doing the bare minimum - is symptomatic of a disengaged and disenfranchised workforce.

While this behavior spans various age groups, recent studies indicate a notable prevalence among Generation Z workers.

Research suggests that Gen Z's inclination toward quiet quitting stems from dissatisfaction with traditional leadership models and workplace cultures. A study highlighted by Fast Company reveals that Gen Z employees often disengage in response to ineffective and outdated leadership practices, rather than due to a lack of work ethic. This disengagement is seen as a rational reaction to workplaces lacking fairness, structure, and alignment with employee values.

Additionally, Forbes notes that Gen Z workers are not inherently lazy; instead, they seek flexibility and meaningful work. Without these elements, they may choose to "quiet quit," withholding their best efforts in environments that don't meet their expectations.

In summary, while quiet quitting is not exclusive to Gen Z, this generation's distinct workplace expectations and responses to traditional management styles have brought increased attention to the phenomenon.

Solutions for employers

But what can companies do about it? One way to combat quiet quitting is to focus on employee engagement - a measurement of the level of loyalty and commitment an employee has to their work and their company. 

Focusing on employee engagement gives you a measurable and tactical way to tackle the issue of employees choosing to ‘quiet quit’ rather than stay invested in their work. If you focus on how to create a fulfilling workplace culture and provide employees with the resources they need to do their job well, you’ll see an impact on retention and employees performing to the best of their abilities. 

We’ve found that taking a long-term approach to improving the employee experience is usually the best strategy, especially since employee engagement is not static, and definitely changes throughout an employee’s journey with the company. 
 

Programs should also be run for a minimum of 12 months and need to be developed with clear objectives in mind. This provides enough time for you to make any 'tweaks' along the way that might improve outcomes and the effectiveness of any new initiative.

If a program generates positive results, it can be integrated and become an ongoing part of the company culture. 

Some innovative employee experience initiatives include:

• Creating a mentorship program for new hires 
• Investing in tools and systems to ensure employees have what they need to do their job well
• Celebrating employees who exemplify company values 
• Offering programs that address physical and mental well-being at work
• Gathering employee feedback on a regular basis
   

How is the LumApps intranet a solution to quiet quitting?

A core principle running through all these suggestions is communication. If you simply rely on a top-down approach, you won’t foster the commitment and engagement that meaningful group communication can generate. Listening is important but so is being heard!

A dynamic and powerful communication tool is a critical resource in the struggle to help your employees feel connected, make their work more meaningful and reduce quiet quitting. That is why your company's intranet is so important. From day one on the job, for those working from home, at the office, or on the road, it is the thread linking all your people together.

LumApps is a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader designed to deliver meaningful employee experience solutions. 
More than an intranet, LumApps is a communication tool that can help your organization enrich employee engagement, company culture, onboarding, and training experiences. It brings your people together, making work more meaningful and workers feel more connected and supported.

At LumApps we don't just support an enterprise workforce, we help build a healthy work culture. Book a demo to see how we can help your team.  

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